Letter From the Board

Thank you, Wood River Valley. The support within our community for Swiftsure Ranch Therapeutic Equestrian Center and our riders has been nothing short of amazing. I speak on behalf of our entire Board of Directors when I express heartfelt gratitude for all the ways in which this community has supported our programs.

This past year, many of the plans envisioned for Swiftsure Ranch were realized. We’ve developed miles of trails to promote the sensory experience via horseback, and provide novelty and variety for riders old and new. We have a new riverside campground to host veterans’ camps and other multi-day retreats, an amenity that doesn’t exist elsewhere in our community. Our newly covered outdoor arena, at 30,000 square feet, allows us much more flexibility in scheduling, a more comfortable environment for everyone, and a far better therapeutic riding experience for our “high risk” riders and those who benefit most from a controlled environment.

With every improvement to our program, we see more possibilities for the Ranch. We are exploring possibilities for enclosing the outdoor arena, an ambitious goal which would allow four-season flexibility to conduct our programming safely and efficiently, and offer the capacity to meet at least some of the pent-up demand of deserving potential riders who’ve been wait-listed. Next year will also see a developed Master Plan addressing future infrastructure improvements, and the means to provide them. As demand for our services increases, our goals include planning for program expansion and professional accommodations for Hippotherapy and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy.

I thank our Board of Directors, our Staff and our Volunteers for the commitment they’ve made to ensuring Swiftsure Ranch is a place the entire community is rightfully proud of. I thank all of you for investing in our riders, our mission, our vision and our future. The dividends we see are beyond measure, and I hope this captures some of their value for you.